Many students return to campus with new interests and a greater sense of direction academically and professionally. Some may explore additional international opportunities and degrees. If this applies to you, check out the ISP list of Global Majors and Minors and connect with your academic adviser to discuss your interests.
If you're pursuing professional opportunities, consider the ways education abroad can open doors for you. Employers are seeking job candidates who are flexible and can adapt to changing environments. Consider all of the skills you developed on your program abroad and how you can talk about these skills with prospective employers. Some examples may include:
Our office has teamed up with MSU Career Services to provide the following resources regarding your career and education abroad. Their staff have tips for how to incorporate your experience abroad on your resume, how to talk to employers, and much more. We encourage you to schedule a career advising appointment to get personalized feedback on your professional portfolio.
Your resume is about you and about highlighting the relevant skills and outcomes the reader will care about. MSU Career Services provides an example resume with study abroad laid out in every section of the document. Note that it can be as brief as a single bullet point in your Education section or could have many bullet points in any other section.
Even though your study abroad experience was cut short, it’s an opportunity to show your resilience and flexibility. Employers most value experiences related to the internship or job you are hoping to obtain and may not understand how a study abroad experience relates. By highlighting the skills you developed and discussing what you learned, you'll help the employer connect the dots.
Identify the skills you developed with the employer in mind. There are certain skills employers of all industries tell us they value most. Get familiar with these top skills, and consider the experiences you've had (study abroad, class projects, internships) where you grew these skills.
Understand and practice common interview questions. Understanding the structure to answer common interview questions will help you to feel prepared to discuss your experience. The PARK method helps to organize your interview responses so that employers can quickly understand your experiences and skills. After coming up with a few experiences you would like to highlight to an employer, you'll want to practice on your own and then with a Career Advisor.
Get personalized support to “unpack” your experience. MSU's Career Services Network staff is trained to help you talk through your study abroad experience and translate it to resumes, cover letters, interviews, grad school applications. Learning to articulate the value of your experience to an outside audience can be done in a one-on-one career advising appointment.
Job hunting in the wake of a global pandemic is daunting, especially if you are a graduating senior. There are a few online lists tracking hiring trends and employers still looking for talent. The following resources regularly to get a pulse on whether employers on your radar are looking to fill roles.
Your education abroad experience might have you thinking about pursuing an international career. The following resources can help you become familiar with careers in international education, education abroad, and more!
Careers in International Education
Other International Opportunities
Student Stories
Perspectives from Spartans Abroad
NEW Bridge Loan
Assistance for paying upfront education abroad costs
Program Search
Create your profile to begin searching programs
Advising
Let us help you navigate the education abroad process!
